Victor Abimbola Olaiya , (31 December 1930 – 12 February 2020), also known as Dr Victor Olaiya, was a Nigerian trumpeter who played in the highlife style. Though famous in Nigeria during the 1950s and early 1960s, Olaiya received little recognition outside his native country. Alhaji Alade Odunewu of the Daily Times called him "The Evil Genius of Highlife."
Early life Olaiya was born on 31 December 1930, in Calabar, Cross River State, the 20th child of a family of 24. His parents, Alfred Omolona Olaiya and Bathsheba Owolabi Motajo, came from Ijesha-Ishu, a town next to Ikole Ekiti, in the present day Ekiti State.
Olaiya came from a very rich family. His father's house, Ilọijọ Bar, stood at 2 Bamgbose Street, Lagos Island, until it was demolished in September 2016.
Career At an early age he learned to play the bombardon and the French horn. After leaving school he moved to Lagos, where he passed the school certificate examination in 1951 and was accepted by Howard University, US, to study civil engineering. Olaiya instead pursued a career as a musician, to the disapproval of his parents. He played with the Sammy Akpabot Band, was leader and trumpeter for the Old Lagos City Orchestra and joined the Bobby Benson Jam Session Orchestra.
In 1954, Olaiya formed his own band, the Cool Cats, playing popular highlife music. His band was chosen to play at the state ball when Queen Elizabeth II of the UK visited Nigeria in 1956, and later to play at the state balls when Nigeria became independent in 1960 and when Nigeria became a republic in 1963. On the latter occasion, Olaiya shared the stage with the American jazz musician Louis Armstrong. During the Nigerian Civil War of 1967–70, Olaiya was given the rank of a lieutenant colonel (honorary) in the Nigerian army, and his band played for the troops at various locations. The Cool Cats later travelled to the Congo to perform for United Nations troops.
Olaiya renamed his band to the All Stars Band when they played the 1963 International Jazz Festival in Czechoslovakia.
Olaiya also ran a business that imported and distributed musical instruments and accessories in West Africa, he also established the Stadium Hotel in Surulere.
Olaiya was bestowed the second rank (officer) of the national Order of the Niger award.Victor Olaiya: Nigeria's 'evil genius' trumpeter who influenced Fela Kuti, BBC, 21 March 2020Victor Olaiya, Veteran Highlife Musician Dies At 89, Daily Independent, 12 Feb 2020 In 1990, he received a fellowship of the Institute of Administrative Management of Nigeria. For a period, he was also president of the Nigerian Union of Musicians.
Personal life Olaiya had several wives. He had children and grandchildren. One of his daughters, Moji Olaiya, was a Nollywood actress. He sang with his son Bayode Olaiya.
Olaiya died on 12 February 2020 at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, at age 89.
Music Olaiya's music bridges between highlife and what would become Afrobeat.
His musical style was influenced by James Brown, with horn parts harmonised in Brown's style, as opposed to the mostly unison lines of Afrobeat. The music includes the swinging percussion of Tony Allen, but not the syncopated style that Allen later pioneered.
Olaiya released an album with Ghanaian highlife musician E. T. Mensah. Both the drummer Tony Allen and vocalist Fela Kuti played with Olaiya and went on to achieve individual success.
Discography A partial list of albums:
DateGroupAlbumFormatLabelLate 1950s/Early 1960sVictor Olaiya & his Cool CatsOdale Ore b/w Mofe Muyon 10-inch 78 Badejo's Sound Studios BBA 1501960s?Various ArtistsCatchy Rhythms from Nigeria – Vol. 2 10-inch LPPhilips West Africa [Lagos] P 134011961 Dr. Victor Olaiya & his All Stars Olaiya's Victories 10-inch LPPhilips [Netherlands] 13403 Early 1960s Various Artists Catchy Rhythms From Nigeria – Vol. 3 (10-inch LP Philips West Africa [Lagos] 13404 1960sVictor Olaiya & his Cool CatsAfro-Rhythm Parade Vol. 2 7-inch EP Philips [Netherlands] 4200011960s?Victor Olaiya & his All StarsOruku Tiniditindi / Iye Jemila 7-inch 45 Philips [Lagos] 303 0151960sVictor Olaiya & his All StarsPambotoriboto b/w Moonlight Highlife 7-inch 45Philips [Lagos] 382357 1960sVictor Olaiya & his All StarsFeso J'aiye / Asian Udo 7-inch 45Philips [Lagos] 382 397 1960sVictor Olaiya & his All StarsKosowo Lode b/w Ewelewekuewele 7-inch 45 Philips [Lagos] 3827391960sVictor Olaiya & his All StarsAfro-Rhythm Parade Vol. 7 7-inch EP Philips [Lagos] 420014Late 1960s?Various ArtistsWest Africa's Big Sound 7-inch EP Philips [Lagos] 420023 PE1982 Dr. Victor OlaiyaIn the Sixties LP Polydor [Lagos] POLP 0661982Dr. Victor OlaiyaHighlife ReincarationLP Polydor [Lagos] POLP 0731983Dr. Victor OlaiyaIlu Le O (Country Hard 0!)LP Polydor [Lagos] POLP 0961983Various ArtistsAfrican Music LP Vertigo [Netherlands] 814 480-11983E.T. Mensah & Dr. Victor Olaiya Highlife Giants of Africa Vol. 1 LP Polydor [Lagos] POLP 1021986Dr. Victor OlaiyaPapingo Davalaya LP Polydor [Lagos] POLP 1562001? Dr. Victor Olaiya The Best of Dr. Victor Olaiya – 3 Decades of Highlife CD Premier Music [Lagos] KMCD003 2003? Dr. Victor Abimbola Olaiya Highlife in The 80's – The Best of Dr. Victor Olaiya Vol. 2 – Evil Genius of Highlife CD Premier Music [Lagos] KMCD007 2002?Various ArtistsHigh Life Kings Vol. 1 CD Premier Music [Lagos] KMCD 012002?Various ArtistsHigh Life Kings Vol. 2 CD Premier Music [Lagos] KMCD 022003Various ArtistsThe Rough Guide to HighlifeCDWorld Music Network [UK]2003?Various ArtistsThe Kings of Highlife CD Wrasse Records [UK] WRASS 0972005Victor Olaiya & his International All Stars / St. AugustineLet Yourself Go/There Was a Time / Papa de Love 7-inch45 Soundway Records [UK] SNDW 70022009Victor Olaiya's All Stars Soul International Victor Olaiya's All Stars Soul InternationalCDVampisoul [Spain] VAMPI 107)2012Various ArtistsThe Rough Guide To Psychedelic AfricaCDWorld Music Network [UK] RGNET 1270
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